Skirt.



No. 790,299. PATENTED MAY 29, 1905.

E. HARMAN.

SKIRT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 11, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 N0. 790,299 ,7 PATEN'IED MAY 23,- 1905.

- EVE. HARMAN. I

SKIRT.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN.'11, 1904. I

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IPatented May 23, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

EMMA ELIZABETH HARMAN, OF SOUlI-ISEA, ENGLAND.

SKIRT.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N 0. 790,299, dated May 23, 1905. Application filed January 11, 1904:. Serial No. 188,629.

T0 at whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMMA ELIZABETH HAR- MAN, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 89 Palmerston road, Southsea, county of Hants, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Skirts, Petticoats, or the Like, of which the following is a specification.

.This invention relates to an improvement in the construction of ladies skirts, petticoats,divided skirts, and thelike; and the object of my said invention is to so construct the garment that the upper portion of the front part can beworn at the waist or below it-that is to say, the garment is so cut and shaped that the front portion may be fastened as distinct from the back portion and may be worn either under or over the corsets and attached thereto by any suitable means and, if desired, may be fashioned in such a manner that the front portion may be worn at or below the fullness of the figure, thus reducing the appearance of the figure. Further, the back portion of the garment is so shaped and made that it can be suspended from the waist irrespective of A the front portion and in a manner so as to prevent sagging at the back, and, further, it may be so padded or constructed that it may form a hip-pad and dress-improver combined, thereby imparting to the figure the necessary fullness at the back and hips where hollows occur, to set off the figure, and consequently the garment, to the best advantage.

By the use of skirts, petticoats, or the like constructed in accordance with my said invention the following advantages are attained viz., first, the figure is lessened in front by reason of the front of the skirt or the like being cut low and the back portion extending up to the waist; second, the front portion may be worn under the corset and the back portion over; third, that by padding the back a bustle or improver is formed; fourth, that a petticoat, skirt, or the like having the back portion fastened irrespective of the front prevents the said back portion sagging at the back of the waist, as is the case with garments drawn up and fastened by means of one string only.

In order that my said invention may be readily understood, reference is to behad to the following description and accompanying sheets of drawings, in which Figure l is a side view of a skirt as it appears when in use. Fig. 2 is a similar view, but showing that part which may form the hip-pads and improver unfastened. Fig. 3 is a back view of the skirt with the back portion unfastened and showing the same padded.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

In the drawings, a represents the front breadth, and Z) a side breadth, part being cut away to form a-flap or extension 0?, the back breadth 0 being formed of two parts stitched together at c and provided with extensions 0 adapted to wrap around the hips. To form the skirt, the front and side breadths are stitched together and the back breadth stitched to Z) I), but only from 0* to 6*-that is to say, to the commencement of the flap 05 above referred to. Draw-strings e (or any simple fastening devices that I may use, not necessarily strings) are now inserted at the top of 5 and strings or their equivalent f f to the extensions 0 When making the skirt to fasten below the waist in front, thesame is cut away, as shown in dotted lines 0".

When in use, the skirt is slipped on and the front portion fastened at the back of the waist by the draw-strings e or other fastening devices over the corset; but the same may be arranged under the corset, when eyelets or the like, I), Figs. 1 and 2, may be provided, through which the straps of stocking-suspenders may pass', the fullness given by the flap (i being according to the waist measurement. The back flap /tthat is to say, the extensions c which may also, when I so desire, constitute the hip pads, and the improver or bustle (which may be extended to thebottom of the skirt or part Way down, as desired,) are now fastened round the waist at the front and suspended therefrom, as'in Figs. 1 and 3, by the strings f. To add fullness or compensate for the hollows at the back and hips, the extensions 0 are padded, as at g, Figs. 2 and 3, and the bustle may be formed by padding at if, so that by these means a perfectly full and smooth surface is attained,

as in Fig. 1, and by the side breadths I) having flaps d, which are covered by the back flap It, any chance of undergarments showing is obviated.

If desired, I may dispense with the padding in the extensions 0 and 75 and substitute wash-leather or other suitable fabric, and instead of forming the improver and hip-pads of padding I may form the same by using any suitable resilient material or combination of materialssuch as \vhalebone, steeLwire coils, and the like-or even by means of a pneumatic pad arranged in any convenient manner.

By the use of the draw-strings e or equivalent devices and extensions or fullness (Z on the side breadths Z) the front portion may be opened to suit any normal size figure, and by wearing the front portion of the skirt at the waist or below the waist my improved skirt or petticoat or the like is suitable for allsizes and will fit any normal or ordinary figure.

Although I have shown the front portion of my skirt ioined to the back portion at 0"" 5*, as in Fig. 3, yet of course I may by reducing the front breadths and increasing the back, or vice versa, bring that portion of the skirt which divides the back from the front into any desired position.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A skirt or similar garment having front and side portions provided with supporting means at the waistband and formed with a placketopening at the back, a back portion cut higher than the said front and side portions and provided with an integral flap portion arranged to cover the placket-opening and havingindependent supporting means encircling the body in a different plane from the other supporting means, said integral back flap being provided with extensions projecting about the hips and also a padding.

In testimony whereofl have ailixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EMMA ELIZABETH HARMAN.

\Vitnesses:

J. MAIN, A. J. Wiinr'rnn. 

